(单词翻译:单击)
The ministries1 of finance and civil affairs have distributed about 9.66 billion yuan ($1.42 billion) among the needy2 to help them celebrate Spring Festival.
The unprecedented3 aid package, with one-off payments, will benefit more than 74 million people amid the financial crisis, a senior official has said.
By noon yesterday, money had been deposited in more than 50 million people's accounts, said Gao Huajun, in charge of the Ministry4 of Civil Affairs' minimum living allowance subsidy5 program.
The beneficiaries include 62.8 million people who get minimum living allowance, and 5.3 million people unemployed6 or people without relatives who get necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare and housing from local governments. About 6.4 million people getting the State subsidy are also among the beneficiaries.
According to the aid package, people getting minimum living allowances will get 100 yuan if they live in rural areas and 150 yuan if they reside in cities. The average monthly living allowance paid to the needy in 2007 was 182.4 yuan in urban and 70 yuan in rural areas.
The central government decided7 to hand out "lucky money" or hongbao to help the needy overcome their financial woes8 brought about by the global economic slowdown.
"Only by improving people's lives, especially for lower-income and poor families, can we build a solid base for the country's steady and swift economic development," Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Jiang Li said on January 9.
Speaking during a national videoconference in Beijing to launch the aid package, Jiang called on governments at all levels to ensure accurate and transparent9 distribution of the subsidy before January 24, two days before Spring Festival.
Local authorities will have to report the daily progress of the distribution scheme to the ministry, he said.
A number of local governments have taken special measures to complement10 the ministries' efforts to help the needy.
Authorities in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, have raised the subsidy to 515 yuan per person in urban and 350 yuan in rural areas.
In Hubei province, about 93 percent of the 3.43 million eligible11 people had reportedly got the money by Tuesday.
"We will inspect bank transfers to ensure the money is distributed properly," said Zhao Xianfu, director of the local civil affairs department's minimum living allowance subsidy center.
Hu Sanjian, a minimum living allowance recipient12 in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, was surprised to find he had received a 300-yuan subsidy yesterday. The 54-year-old, who was laid off recently, was also given five bags of rice, edible13 oil and fish by the civil affairs department.
And he got an 800-yuan voucher14 from the city's federation15 of trade unions with which he can buy supplies at local department stores.
Hu plans to use the money to purchase food and supplies for a big family reunion dinner on the eve of Spring Festival. "It means a lot for me and my son," he said.
Questions:
1. How many people will benefit from the government’s hongbao handout16?
2. Why is the government handing out money to the poor?
3. What are some measures local governments are taking to make sure the money is distributed properly?
Answers:
1. 74 million people.
2. To help them deal with the financial crisis.
3. They have to report the daily progress of the distribution scheme to the government and bank transfers will be inspected.
1
ministries
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(政府的)部( ministry的名词复数 ); 神职; 牧师职位; 神职任期 | |
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2
needy
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adj.贫穷的,贫困的,生活艰苦的 | |
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3
unprecedented
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adj.无前例的,新奇的 | |
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ministry
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n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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5
subsidy
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n.补助金,津贴 | |
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unemployed
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adj.失业的,没有工作的;未动用的,闲置的 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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woes
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困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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transparent
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adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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10
complement
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n.补足物,船上的定员;补语;vt.补充,补足 | |
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eligible
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adj.有条件被选中的;(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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recipient
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a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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edible
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n.食品,食物;adj.可食用的 | |
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14
voucher
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n.收据;传票;凭单,凭证 | |
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15
federation
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n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会 | |
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16
handout
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n.散发的文字材料;救济品 | |
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